• Safety Tips For Patients

• Speak up if you have questions or concerns.
• Make a list of questions for your care providers so that you will be less likely to forget.
• Make sure you can see and hear when your care providers are answering your questions. Ask a relative or friend to be with you if you think this will help you remember and understand the answers.
• Make sure you get the results of any test or procedure. Ask what the results mean for you.

• Make sure that all of your health care providers know everything you are taking; this includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbs.
• Make sure your doctors, nurses and pharmacists know about any allergies that you have experienced or any side effects that you have had to medications.
• Ask for information about your medicines in terms you can understand.
• If you think that you have missed receiving a medication, ask the nurse.
• If you are uncomfortable about receiving a medication, you have the right to refuse it. Then make sure you discuss this with your doctor.
• If you have questions about your medications, speak with a pharmacist.

• If you are asked to not get up without assistance, please don t. This is for your protection.
• Make sure you can easily reach your call button, telephone and other personal items that you might need.
• Ask your nurse to make sure that your bed is in the low position.
• If you are allowed to get out of bed without assistance make sure that there is a light on and that equipment is out of your way.
• If you do not have your own non-skid slippers, ask your nurse to provide you with a pair.